//------------------------------//
// Uplink One: Arrival 
// Story: Ave Deus Mechanicus: On Equestria 
// by PleaseDoNotDeleteMe 
//------------------------------//

Uplinking.... 

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Designation: Cassius 
Rank: Arch Magos
Location: Byzantium command throne.

Uplink successful 

+His servants+ 

Crimson warning sigils lit every screen. The bridge shook and rattled sparks raining down on the various shrines and alters where servants of the machine god stood or sat hard plugged into their consoles focusing on their tasks. No words were shared between them too focused where they on ensuring their debt to the Omnissiah was paid. The only light was that from warning, blinking bathing the bride in crimson then darkness. Crimson then darkness. Everything shook, the blessed metal threatening to buckle. Through it all the arch Magos sat hard plugged into his command throne expression unreadable even through the noosphere, the invisible data network that bonded all their souls to data. He was too focused on guiding his ship through the immaterium the hellish flip side to reality where all ships of the Imperium are forced to traverse, it is a realm of thoughts and emotions rather than stone and steel, their navigator had died shortly after they made the jump leaving Cassius, Captain of the Byzantium and Arch Magos Explore of Mars the only one capable of guiding the ship, and failing miserably.

They had been trapped in the warp storm for what felt like an eternity. The shifting tides preventing any hope of returning to real space. The Ark Mechanicus was lost, battered on all sides by the tides of unreality against its gellar field. The only barrier between the servants of the Machine God, and the native inhabitants of the realm they traversed. Despite the battering it held firm, the holy machine spirit dutifully holding reality in and the abominations out.

But that would be useless unless they could—

There

Just for a second, Cassius saw a spec of light and aimed for it. Plowing the Ark Mechanicus through a wave of pure raw emotion, he pierced the vail between what was unreal and what was and finally freed his ship from the tides of the warp.



+++


<Status?> Cassius asked in binary to the helm servitor. 

The simple minded slave drooled out a report from chapped lips in its usual monotone.

<Transfer successful lord. All vital systems are at acceptable parameters of functionality. No significant damage to outer hull. No crew losses reported as of yet. No sign of Neverborn.>

Cassius allowed himself to sigh, he didn’t need to since his lungs had long since been replaced with an augment that breathed for him, but it helped his mind relax his mind.

<Non vital systems?> the Magos asked allowing curiosity to flow through him.

Another tech priest answered in place of the servitor. A lower ranking one still mostly human, aside from the most basic of augments, he could understand lingua technis just not speak it. According to his noosphere tag, he was Maximal.

“According to the hymns, power had not returned to Deck 13.” He started reading off the terminal before him. “Also hanger 55’s door is nonfunctional, and we are leaking promethium from a spare directional thruster.” The young adept turned from his position to look at Cassius directly now. “Aside from that... well done piloting the Byzantium.” The young adapt's face was holly organic aside from a single green optic on his right eye. His skin was pale with some fuzz growing from his chin and black hair down to his ears. In many ways, he reminded Cassius of a younger version of himself. Given enough time maybe he to could rise the ranks of the cult.

<The Titians?>

“All operational.”

Looking in front Cassius for the first time noticed the planet. It was a blue green orb dominating the viewer, appearing to have multiple biomes and continents. He didn’t recognize it from his database, but it seemed untouched. New planets for the Imperium were discovered every day, but seeing one untouched by... well seemingly anything was a rarity indeed.

Cassius contemplated to himself. His cogitators could be heard spinning in his head. He knew he would regret this next question before he even asked.

<Location?>

<Unknown.> Settra responded. He was the ship's astronomer, even older than Cassius, his augments were large and bulky giving him a bloated appearance underneath his crimson robes. <Sensors are unable to pick up the astronomicon at this time. We are also unable to get a vox signal. And I have yet to match our location with any star charts in our archives.>

<What of the planet?> Cassius asked the sensorium operator. Her legs were completely removed, replacing them was a set of slender hooves that magnetized to the deck. She reminded the Magos of a Sicarian Ruststalker in that regard. 
<Augers detect large amounts of natural resources, ranging from adamantium and gold, to promethium, and large amounts of rare minerals.> she reported. <Auspex is also reading back confirmed flora and fauna... advanced fauna at that.>

This got Cassius to sit up.

<How advanced?> the Magos asked.

<Relatively primitive compared to the Machine God’s chosen my lord.> the Magos quickly amended. <They have settlements constructed of steel, marble, and concrete. But the majority live in wooden constructs. Their seaming capital is located on the largest mineral deposit on the biggest continent. They have evidence of a locomotive engine system. But it seems to be just starting out on the biggest continent. No extraterrestrial vehicle capability detected.>

<SIRE!!> Settra immediately interrupted the report making Cassius feel anger before he deleted the emotion. The astronomer continued on regardless.

<The world below it’s... it’s geocentric.>

If Cassius still had his eyelids they would have widened in shock. Geocentric planets were incredibly rare, but they did exist. But one so small? Much less one supporting life, and industry? It went against logic.

<Elaborate.>

Settra nodded and continued.

<All logic engine data points to the planet being the center of the system, with the sun and moon orbiting in near perfect sync with one another.>

If Cassius had eyebrows, one would have raised at that.

<‘near perfect sync’> Cassius quoted back.

<It’s not exact, but it seems very close. However, sire. The planet is much too small for gravity to cause a star of this size to orbit it. The sensorium confirms the gravity is too weak for such a stellar feat.>

Cassius contemplated to himself, his internal logic engines wired to life in sync with one another. He was alone with no way of contacting the wider Imperium, in an uncharted system, in a ship full of the Omnissiah’s devoted. And a planet rich in rare minerals. They would need resources to do another warp jump just to get their bearings, but now a warp storm was raging, and Emperor only knew when that would pass. He needed time. Something to occupy his thoughts while he waited for the storm to go away. The planet had inhabitants and resources. Along with a mystery of how it came to be the center of a solar system, and teaming with life. Yes, this would work. He would occupy his mind in solving the mystery layed before him. In time he would return to Mars a changed man. They missed there target, but this would be their new goal. He would plunder it’s resources. Collect all the knowledge of its inhabitants, then return with all he could carry leaving behind a dead rock... or perhaps, a new and enlightened forge world. Either way, the Omnissiah’s will would be done today.

Cassius stood from his throne. Many cables disconnect from his multitude of sockets in his flesh slinking back into their holes like predatory serpents, some even hissing. He felt the manafold leave him as he disconnected from the Byzantium’s machine spirit.

<This is something I must investigate personally.> He stated through the noosphere so all could hear him. <Prepare a shuttle lander and a squad of Skitarii. Omnissiah be praised.>

With that he left the bridge his centipede like legs clicking under his robe. The doors machine spirit opened automatically allowing him to exit.

+++Transmission concluded+++

New Uplink?

[Y/N]

Y

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New Uplink Found

Designation: Rohn 55
Rank: Skitarii Alpha
Location: Alexandria Lander

Uplink successful

+His Will Be Done+


Rohn sat strapped into the crash couch with the rest of his squad numbering 5 in total, while the Arch Magos stood in the center of the lander never taking his optics off the door. The Alpha admitted he was exited. Never had he seen a Magos before. Especially not Cassius. He had served on the Byzantium for almost a century, and never once did any of the skitarius, tech priests, or slaves talk of a time when the Arch Magos left the bridge, much less journeyed down to a planet. There was even talk in the noosphere that he couldn’t leave the bridge, that he had permanently attached himself to his ship so that were he ever removed both his and the ships vital systems would fail. That was proven false due to him being right in front of him alive and well.

To Rohn the Magos was absolutely beautiful. He towered 3 times the height of a Skitarius even while he hunched to fit into the lander. Most of his body was gone, with no flesh visible at all. His form bristled with archaic augments crafted in gold and steel. His hunched back showed the hints of a heavy miniature nuclear reactor chugging away dutifully keeping him alive. His optics were baleful crimson, reminding Rohn of his home world of sacred Mars. 

Rohn knew he could never reach the level of augmentation as Cassius. Being a Skitarius his most augmented part were his legs, replaced from the knees down to allow him and his fellow rangers to run for great distances without tiring. He also possessed a gas mask and optics fused to his skull like all others, with a power pack on his back and antenna.

Soon enough the craft reached the ground and the door slammed down the machine spirit sighing having fulfilled its purpose. 

The bar around Rohn 55’s battle chase swung up and him and his four companions moved out the door in a V formation riffles at the ready blood red robes flapping in the breeze. 

In contrast to Mars, the meadow they  found themselves in was incredible green and smooth. Green rolling hills replaced red rocks. The blue sky having none of the pollution of continental factories. The mountains were tall and jagged, no mines or quarries in sight. The air was clean and pure, even breathable to humans without oxygen filters. It disgusted Rohn 55.

Another major difference was the gravity. Mars had less gravity than Holy Terra. Thought he had never set foot on Old Earth, the Ark Mechanicus was equipped with a chamber where he could experience the gravity of the Throne World.

This world’s gravity was more that Terra. He didn’t know precisely by how much. But he estimated the planets gravity sat at almost double or even triple that of Mars. With no threats in sight he issued the all clear code to Arch Magos Cassius, he exited behind the formation, taking in the sights and deploying various tools from his body to test the air.

He then ordered Rohn’s rangers to fan out and examine the surrounding area.

The meadow sat on the edge of a dark forest that Magos Cassius almost immediately ran towards his dozen legs clicking in perfect synchronization under him.

Rohn 55 let the Magos go take his studies while he investigated a near by stream. The water flow was low, likely  due to the high gravity but the Alpha took out a clear glasstek jar gathering a sample. Holding it up to the light he could make out small insects inside. Even if they were small, the little Xenos fascinated Rohn as they swam about in their prison.

He heard a twig snap and turned his gun sights on the noise issuing an order his squad to form up around him.

Exiting the brush was a red entity. It had a muzzle and long white mane styled into a spike pattern. It approached without fear, cloven hooves stepping on the grass. It was no bigger than Rattling, it walked on all fours curious of them rather than afraid, The Alpha kept his distance unsure what the beast was capable of even if it only came up to his waist. His metal legs backed away from the unknown beast servos whining and clicking. The Xenos stepped over the stream leaning down to sniff the sample Rohn 55 had just taken. The alpha turned off his weapons Safty hearing the machine spirit hum to life ready to kill. As it got closer Rohn lined up a shot right between the eyes. 

Before he could fire a red robe filled his scope and Rohn looked up to see none other than Cassius himself standing between him and his target.

<Magos, Explain!> Rohn demanded. He would apologize later, right now he needed to protect his master, but he was in the way of the shot. His fellow rangers came into position lining up their shots.

<I’m testing a theory.> Was all Cassius said asserting his authority through those simple words.

The Magos extended his hand to the creature allowing it to sniff his palm similar to how a Guardsmen greeted a Canid.

The Xenos equine sniffed the hand of the priest before the Magos brought his metallic claw to the creatures head... and unexpectedly began petting it.

The beast enjoying the motion got closer to the Arch Magos, allowing the tech priest to pet him more leaning in.

<Truly Fascinating.>  The Magos said to himself.

The beast looked up to Cassius smiling, then displaying brief shock, before passing out cold, eyes closed. It’s chest rose and fell signaling to Rohn that it was still alive, only asleep thanks to a potion Cassius injected hidden beneath his robes. 

Cassius stood and pointed to the Xenos.

<Take that thing aboard the lander.> he ordered the cohort. <If my hypothesis is right they are the dominant life forms on this world. I want to learn all I can from them.>

Rohn nodded before two ranger grabbed the quadruped and  took it to the lander.

Uplink Interrupted